Entwirren
by not-so-german-author
Summary: The Bielschmidt brothers have a conversation in 1947. (May branch out into a larger fic, unsure so far.)


The first paper Gilbert read stated one simple thing.

 _'Control Council Law No. 46: The Prussian State which from early days has been a bearer of militarism and reaction in Germany has de facto ceased to exist.'_

His hands crinkled the item slightly as he sank in his seat. "So you're really going to divorce me, West? After all we've been through? You've spent too much time with Roderich."

"I'm not divorcing you. We were never married." Ludwig's eyes flitted up, gaze moving across the his brother's face quickly before returning to his stack of papers.

The Prussian frowned, shifting his legs and tapping a pale hand on the arm of his chair. He acted almost like an antsy child while Ludwig sat and worked.

"They've already voted on it. I can't change it."

Gilbert's throat felt scratchy. It was 6 years ago that his capital had been bombed and despite the allotted healing time, he seemed to be feeling its affects again. The uncomfortable itch eventually grew into a lump (feeling if anything more like a noose or chokehold) that only worsened as he made eye contact with the figure in front of him. Ludwig was studying him; obviously and inevitably _studying_ him. The fact that his fate lied in the hand of the fucking allied counsel pissed him off enough. He knew well of his sins, Ludwig's sins, and did respect giving others control; he was well aware that he had been conquered in a way. However now the albino had just been told that his country, no, he himself as both a nation and being, didn't exist. It was more than a little alarming. No doctors, no checkups, concern or ceremonies. Just a neat little paper saying _'Congratulations! You're officially dead!'._

Naturally rather than offering consolation, his brother only stared and analyzed. Not that Gilbert was surprised or upset, as he was the one who'd taught Ludwig this process of working with emotion.

When he'd entered the room earlier he'd been expecting this answer. When the staff had awkwardly tried keeping him away from the televisions, he knew. Hell, he didn't need technology or to be told, he could feel it. So when Ludwig was an emotionless bastard, Gilbert only returned the favor.

He only noticed one immediate affect of dissolving anyways. It'd come in tiny bursts. Little flashes of a slight burning sensation in his chest- which to him felt no different than sucking down a decent glass of whiskey. It certainly wasn't what he expected. Gilbert had hoped, silently, that his Prussian Nation would die in a hail of gunfire or some sort of epic battle. Saving a damsel or the world even. He wanted an ending with fire, like in the moves. However, in this instance, Death didn't come like an old friend or a terrifying enemy. Instead Death came to a meeting, dressed nicely with a stack of paperwork that would erase him off of the face of the earth.

"How long do I have?"

Gilbert hoped that beneath Ludwig's stony expression lied some form of concern.

"I truthfully don't know. I haven't been able to find any documents or books on dissolution.."

"You don't know." The albino leaned over his brother's desk, drumming a pale finger on it's surface. "For fuck's sake Ludwig, the most you could do is give me a time." A low chuckle escaped his lips as he sat back down. "Y'know, you being all organized and all. I always told myself, Ludwig would be a great guy to organize my funeral- Luddy, you see you've got that perfect mix of OCD and general-"

"Gilbert."

The prussian's tone had gotten higher, his chuckle breaking into a laugh.

"You'd make a ratio of the flowers they'd put on my headstone. The bouquets must have only 4.9% of carnations _exactly-_ "

"Gilbert."

Ludwig's brother only kept laughing until his name was uttered a third time.

"There is perhaps a way you could-"

"Live? Oh do tell. Going to organize that too?" Gilbert's voice didn't waver. Ludwig growled under his breath and slid a paper across the table, allowing Gilbert to examine it. He picked it up instantly, snorting before casually tearing it in half after reading.

"Really Ludwig? I'm a dying man and you're pulling pranks on me." He laughed lowly. His eyes however were pleading.

"Do you even realize that, Gilbert?" Ludwig's retort had an icy tone.

"Realize what?"

"That you're dying."

The Prussian stood. "Well, yeah. I can kinda feel it West. Right here." He grabbed Ludwig's wrist silently, bringing his brother's hand to his own chest and meeting his eyes. Gilbert's red were filled with fire. "I can write you a manual on dying, if you want. I'm sure you'd love to have that when the time comes."

"I don't want to have this discussion anymore than you do." Ludwig's voice was icy, the other nation speaking with an annoyed tone. "After some time, I've learned to accept the facts. You're the one who taught me that. You're my brother Gilbert, and the fact is that you're dying."

His grip on Ludwig's wrist tightened. Gilbert's whole body for a moment felt frozen with a mix of fear and contempt.

"You think I don't know." He released his brother. Gilbert stepped away from the desk, around the chair and pacing. "I am a nation, I was an empire. I've beaten thousands, my battles were legend, and if you think I'm stupid enough to not be aware of the fact that I'm fucking dying, L-"

"You're not a nation Gilbert. You _were_ a nation. Yes, you _were_ an empire. But if you don't do what that paper says, you're not going to be anything. Not even a human."

"I've never been human." He kept his back to Ludwig, laughing again. "None of us are human. You proved that pretty damn well yourself in 1933."

The german shot out of his seat, rounding the desk and approaching his brother. Both knew that the Prussian had crossed a line, though neither acknowledged it.

"You're dying." Ludwig placed a hand on his shoulder. Gilbert whipped around, slamming a hand over Ludwig's wrist and growling.

"I know, West. I KNOW. HOW MANY TIME'S HAVE YOU TOLD ME THAT TODAY? HOW MANY?"

Ludwig's grip shifted to Gilbert's collar, shoving him back against the wall.

"I could've just filled out those fucking papers and let the goddamn Russians cart you off to Ivan's place without blinking an eye. I wanted to give you some dignity with this, to make your own choice. But no. I've got no signature to hand to those bastards now anyways. You could easily _rot_ in a fucking corner for the rest of your miserable life until nobody remembers the 'awesome nation of prussia'. Forgive me for trying to change that."

Gilbert's red eyes met Ludwig's blue. He attempted to shove the blonde back, the other nation twisting and using his own force to let Gilbert slam into a nearby coffee table. The Prussian came crashing to the floor along with a mess of broken wood and a vase.

He was laughing again.

"Wow." Gilbert clapped as he laid back. "I really did raise you right, y'know." It was true. West had grown into a strongm stoic, and unforgiving nation; exactly what Gilbert had seen in himself when he was younfer and my more powerful. He sat up slowly, burying a wince in a hysterical chuckle. As he stood, he brought a fist down on the bridge of Ludwig's nose in a drunk-like state. The blonde caught it easily, Gilbert not being so lucky as his brother's countering elbow nailed him.

"Take the name Kalingrad." Ludwig didn't flinch at his growing bruise or the crack that had resounded from Gilbert's nose. "Take it for me."

The room was silent and baron aside from a simple low laugh and murmur.

"I hope you're smart enough to guess my answer, bruder."

 **/ Some quick notes:**

 **Divorce - Austria for a period of time was ruled under the Hapsburg monarchy, which was well known for marrying off a** _ **lot**_ **of it's members. It's said that the character Roderich prefers to solve everything with marriage, however each one of them having failed. His most recent 'divorce' being the annexing of Hungary in 1918.**

 **\- Prussia's capital, Königsberg, was bombed in by Russian forces ordered by Joseph Stallin on September 1st, 1941**

 **\- The nation of Prussia dissolved on February 25th, 1947 under the decision of the Allied Control Council. Control Council Law No. 46: The Prussian State which from early days has been a bearer of militarism and reaction in Germany has de facto ceased to exist.**

 **1933 - the year that the Holocaust officially began**

 **Königsberg/Kalingrad - Prussia's capital became the Russian city of Kalingrad after the nation's dissolution, henceforth he could possibly take that name and survive by living in Russia's house. But we'll see what happens there. ***note that this concept is purely based on fan headcanons, it has never been stated that Prussia is alive via embodying Kalingrad****

 **West - for a period of time, Prussia took the name of east Germany and refers to his brother as west**

 **Entwirren - german, means "unravel"**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed chapter one! This has been a nerve-wracking fic to write and publish, as there are going to be so many elements to it. I migjt just keep it as a one chapter thing, but I would love to build up on it and write more chapters. Apologies if anything was incorrect, don't hesitate to let me know and I'd love to hear your opinions.**


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